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[Excerpt]
NASA’s acting administrator to retire without a clear successor
by Ben Guarino
March 12, 2018
Washington Post
Robert M. Lightfoot Jr., who has served as acting administrator at NASA for more than a year, said Monday that he will retire from his position in April. No immediate announcement was made on who will follow him.
In an agencywide memo, Lightfoot wrote that he had “bittersweet feelings” about the decision. He also said he will “work with the White House on a smooth transition to the new administrator.”
NASA has been without a permanent administrator since Charles Bolden, a former astronaut and retired Marine Corps aviator, resigned the day that President Trump took office last year. The second-in-command, deputy administrator Dava Newman, also left the agency as Trump was inaugurated. In stepped Lightfoot, who had held NASA's highest-ranking non-appointee position.
In September, Trump nominated Jim Bridenstine, a Republican congressman who represents Oklahoma in the House, to be NASA administrator. Bridenstine previously worked as the director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum. He supports an increased role of private industry in spaceflight.
Bridenstine's confirmation process has not gone smoothly. At a hearing in November, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) argued that Bridenstine lacked the ability to be “a leader who has the ability to unite scientists, engineers, commercial space interests, policymakers and the public on a shared vision for future space exploration.” Senate Democrats have been joined by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in opposition to Bridenstine, putting the nominee's future in jeopardy.
In an email late Monday, a NASA representative wrote that “the White House may direct anyone who qualifies under the Vacancies Reform Act to serve as acting NASA Administrator.” ]The agency also has no chief of staff or deputy director.
Of the seats normally filled by scientists or engineers in Washington, many remain empty. The White House does not have a science adviser, and other positions in the Office of Science and Technology Policy remain vacant. Trump also has yet to appoint members to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/spe … 41010b14e0
Note: The Trump governments nomination for NASA Chief Financial Officer, Jeffrey DeWit , has not been confirmed. The Trump government has not nominated anyone to fill the vacant position of NASA Deputy Administrator.
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Trump the Unready. Like Ethelread.
Note that the Saxon nickname referred to Ethelread's lack of counsellors- Reedes.
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"No clear successor". Well, there *is* one, but the Senate are refusing to confirm him...
Is Pence allowed to cast a tie breaking vote when it comes to confirmations?
Use what is abundant and build to last
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Is Pence allowed to cast a tie breaking vote when it comes to confirmations?
Yes, that's how they got DeVos in. It's unfortunate that the one Trump nominee I outright support is facing difficulties even with the Republicans.
The Earth is the cradle of the mind, but one cannot live in a cradle forever. -Paraphrased from Tsiolkovsky
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Trump wants a lapdog "yes man" NASA administrator who pledges their personal loyalty to him and not to the constitution and people. Bridenstine fits the bill and that's why Trump is sticking with him.
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Steve Jurczyk Named Acting NASA Associate Administrator, https://www.nasa.gov/about/org_index.html
This is the position that Robert Lightfoot held before being named as Acting NASA Administrator. NASA currently has no Acting Deputy Administrator or Chief of Staff. James Reuter will replace Jurczyk as Associate Administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
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Steve Jurczyk Named Acting NASA Associate Administrator, https://www.nasa.gov/about/org_index.html
This is the position that Robert Lightfoot held before being named as Acting NASA Administrator. NASA currently has no Acting Deputy Administrator or Chief of Staff. James Reuter will replace Jurczyk as Associate Administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
And the Trump governments nomination for NASA Chief Financial Officer, Jeffrey DeWit , has not been confirmed. The Trump government has not nominated anyone to fill the vacant position of NASA Deputy Administrator.
Is that correct?
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